Lap-weld-tube apparatus



R. F. HAUGHEY.

LAP WELD TUBE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, 1920.

Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

. m/vcwrae I I r W TNESSE S a'W/wa Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

UNITED STATES RODGER F. HAUGHEY, OF MCKEESPORT,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JONES &

LAUGHLIN STEEL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH. PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

LAP-WELD-TUBE APPARATUS.

Application filed September 14, 1920. Serial No. 410,273.

T 0 all inlzomiz may concern."

Be 1t known that I. RODGER F. HAUGIIEY,

a citizen of the United States. and a resident of McKeesport, in the county of .\lle.-. gheny and State of Pennsylvania. have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lap-Veld-Tube Apparatus. of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to the manufacture of lap-weld tubing. The object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of furnace and apparatus whereby the output of a given furnace can be greatly increased.

Generally stated, the invention consists in a lap-weld furnace, provided in its front end with skelp charging openings on both sides, and with a pair of runouts at its central portion, welding rolls in front of the furnace to weld skelp coming from both of said runouts, and a pit arranged at the rear of the furnace to accommodate a pair of turners down, one on each side, to turn the skelp from the charged position to the runout position, and a single welder forpush ing the heated skelp into the welding rolls.

In the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a plan view, showing the welding furnace in horizontal section, of a suitable layout embodying the improvements; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 22, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a trans:

verse sectional view through the welding furnace on the line 33, Fig. 1.

The welding furnace, 1, may be of any suitable type for heating lap-weld skelp. and will differ from ordinary lap-weld furnaces onlv in the particulars hereinafter pointed out. It will be somewhat wider than ordinary lapweld furnaces. and will be provided with a double runout zone, or two runout grooves at its middle portion; and with a pair of skelp charging openings in its front wall, one at each side of the furnace. The drawings show a skelp charging opening. 2, at one side of the furnace, and another opening 3, at the other side of the furnace, through which skelp will be charged backwardly into the furnace. The rear wall of the furnace is provided with openings, 4, for the insertion of the usual bars for turning or rolling the skelp from the charged position.

gradually toward the middle portion of the furnace hearth to the runout Usually the furnace hearth wears into a groove where the hot skelp is run out. There will be two runout zones. or grooves. 5 and 5, at the central part of the furnace hearth, with an appropriate sized opening or openings, (3. in the front wall.

In front of the furnace is a lap-welding apparatus arranged to take care of skelp coming from either runout zone. either welding rolls which can he moved bodil sidewise, or two pairs of welding rolls as shown, namely. the rolls 7 and 7. each of which is provided with its own deliverv trough. 8 8, and beyond the same having the necessary bar pulling mechanism. 9. the detailed construction of which will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. Also. in front of the furnace, in line with each of the charging openings. are charging troughs 10, 10", in which the bentup skelp rests while being pushed backwardly into the furnace. One of these charging troughs, such as the charging trough. 10. must be so arranged as to not interfere with the drive'of the welding rolls. As shown, the shafts, 11, of the two welding rolls are connected by removable couplings. 12, to short shafts, 13, which are geared together through gears, 14, one of which is driven from a single motor, such as the electric motor, 15. The space between the driving shafts of the two rolls is sufficient to permit the charging trough, 10, to project between the same. and preferably this trough will be located between the two removable couplings, 12. so that the trough can, .if ncessary, be lifted vertically upwardly. when necessary to be replaced.

From the welding troughs, 8, 8, the welded tubes will be lifted by any suitable lifting transfer mechanism, now well known in the lap-weld art, to sk ds. 17. which deliver the same into a trough 18, whence they pass in succession to sizing rolls, 19. and cross rolls, 20, in the usual Way.

At the rear of the welding furnace. is a pit, 21, of the usual depth for accommodat ing the turnersdown and the welder. Two turners down will be required, one on each side, the one rolling the tubes left haudcdly from the charging position on one side of the furnace to the runout groove or zone on that side of the central longitudinal line of position.

the furnace hearth and the other rolling the tubes 'righthandedly from the charging position on the opposite side of the furnace hearth to the runout groove or Zone on that side of the central longitudinal line of the furnace. Only a single welder, however, is required. Consequently. the double furnace described does not require a full double coinplement of men. The skelp charged into the furnace may be bent by any suitable apparatus and at any suitable place. the drawing showing a heating furnace, 24. and bending die. 25, and a draw bench. 26. of conventional type, for bending the plate into skelp, and located at one side of the welding furnace. are skids, 27. for transferring skelp directly to the charging trough, 10. Another bending furnace might be arranged on the other side, or the skelp for the opposite side be taken from the draw bench, 26, by trucking, by an overhead conveyor or in any other suitable way.

I am aware that it is not new to provide a double lap-weld furnace, but heretofore, double lap-weld furnaces have been charged from the rear, with a result that the chargers get in the way of the turners down and welders, which interference is avoided in my arrangement by charging the skelp into the front end of the furnace at both sides thereof. I am also aware that lap-weld furnaces have heretofore been charged from the front, but as far as 1 know, where this has occurred, the skelp has all been charged in at one side of the furnace.

With my arrangement, all interference of the workmen, one with another, is praetically eliminated, and the output of the furentirely in combination a welding furnace having two runout gutters at the central portion of its hearth. and charging openings in the front wall at each side of the furnace. and turn-downs and push out openings in its rear wall, welding rolls in front of the furnace, arranged to receive skelp from either runout gutter, a skelp charging trough in front of the furnace on each side of the welding rolls and in line with the charging openings, and a pit at the rear of the furnace for a single welder and two turners down.

2. Lap-weld tube apparatus, comprising in combination a welding furnace having two runout gutters at the central portion of its hearth, and charging openings in the front wall at each side of the furnace. and turn down and push out openings in its 1 par wall. welding rolls in front of the furnace arranged to receive skelp from either runout zone, a skelp charging trough in front of the furnace on each side of the welding rolls and in line with the charging openings, and driving shafts for the welding rolls, one of said charging troughs extend ing between the roll driving shafts.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

RODGER F. HAUGHE Y.

Witnesses:

EDWIN O. JO NS, HowAm) L. SNIVELY. 

